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Renovated 17th Century Farmhouse With Private Heated Pool South Of Carcassonne

Escape to this beautifully renovated farmhouse with luxurious furnishings, soft feather sofas, antiques and Persian rugs. Enjoy space and quality in this "home from home" environment. It is set in a secluded small hamlet of 6 houses which is in walking distance from Puivert down a leafy lane with spectacular views of a Cathar castle. There are two acres of gardens adjacent to the house as well as ten acres of meadow and woodland great for nature lovers.

The pool area is surrounded by meadows and woodland making a perfect spot to relax in the sun listening to the bees and watching the butterflies and humming hawk moths. The saline 10 x 5 metre pool is great for swimming as it is much kinder to skin, the pool has steps for easy access, a ledge around the edge as well as a separate shallow children’s pool.

The handmade kitchen is well equipped with American fridge/freezer, range cooker and double sink, everything for the budding gourmet. There are four lovely bedrooms; three with king-size beds and one with twin beds all accessed from a spacious landing area with comfy chairs, which is also a great place for reading. Two of the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms, there is a large family bathroom with separate bath and walk in shower as well as a downstairs shower room. Quality bed linen and towels are provided. The living room has a log burner and large flat screen TV, there is WIFI, DVD player, CD and IPOD player as well as a small library area with lots of books and DVD’s for your use. The dining area seats 8 very comfortably, in the summer season enjoy eating alfresco in the summer kitchen/barbecue or up at the shaded dining area by the pool.

Bedrooms

4 Bedrooms

Sleeps 8

Owner

Kim and Duncan Ward

Member Since 2013

Speaks

english

Calendar last updated:

28 Nov 2018

About Kim and Duncan Ward

We had been holidaying in France with our family over the last thirty years and it was always a dream to live here and provide the perfect retreat for other people to enjoy. We had been coming to the Aude/Ariege region for over ten years and when the opportunity came up to buy in this special place we just jumped at it. We believe we have the right experience to make it a truly memorable stay. Duncan loves to cook and can provide gourmet meals on request, his fish pie is sublime!

Kim and Duncan Ward purchased this Farmhouse in 2012

Why Kim and Duncan Ward chose Rivel

With the experience we had of renting various properties throughout France we just knew the exceptional quality of this house would make it perfect for anybody wanting a successful holiday.
We fell in love with the spacious open plan living accommodation with its unique nooks and crannies set in idyllic surroundings.

What makes this Farmhouse unique

The pool area is beautiful surrounded by meadows and woodland making a perfect spot to relax in the sun listening to the bees and watching the butterflies and humming hawk moths. The saline pool is great for swimming as it is much kinder to skin, the pool has steps for easy access, a ledge around the edge as well as a separate shallow children's pool.

Facilities

Swimming pool

Internet

Fireplace

TV

Satellite or Cable

Children Welcome

Parking

Heater

Bathrooms

4 Bathrooms

Bathroom 1

tub, shower, Family bathroom with bath and separate walkin shower

Bathroom 2

shower, Ensuite bathroom

Bathroom 3

shower, Ensuite bathroom

Bathroom 4

toilet, shower, Downstairs bathroom/cloakroom with separate shower

Location Type

Rural

Meals

Guests provide their own meals

General

Heating

Gas central heating

Linens Provided

Washing Machine

Fireplace

Wood burner

Parking

Private parking

Internet

Towels Provided

Iron & Board

Hair Dryer

Living Room

With large flat screen TV

Kitchen

Dishwasher

Refrigerator

American Fridge/Freezer with ice maker

Oven

Smeg range cooker with 5 ring burners.

Microwave

Microwave and oven

Grill

Coffee Maker

Toaster

4 slice toaster

Dishes & Utensils

Kitchen

Well equiped kitchen, large american fridge/freezer with ice maker and smeg range cooker.

Dining

Dining Area

Child's Highchair

Dining

Comfortable chairs

comfy seating for 8 people

Entertainment

Television

Satellite / Cable

Satellite TV with UK channels

Stereo

DVD Player

Books

Small library area

Game Room

Table tennis

Games

Ping Pong Table

Video Library

Outside

Lawn / Garden

Garden with hamock

Outdoor Grill

There is a lovely separate covered eating area as well as the seating/eating area by the pool.

Tennis

Tennis is available in Rivel

Suitability

wheelchair inaccessible

We are sorry but due to the hilly area and steps to the pool area this is not suitable for weekchair access.

Pool / Spa

Heated Pool

Private Pool

With small childrens pool. Pool is shared with owners (just occasional use).

Onsite Services

Private Chef

House Rules

Check-in: 16:00

Check-out: 10:00

Cancellation Policy

100% refund for cancellations more than 60 days before check-in date. 50% refund for cancellations more than 30 days before check-in date.

13 Reviews

Wonderful4.9/5

1 - 6 of 13

Fantastic place, lovely couple, perfectly positioned

5/5

Stayed Aug 2018

Andrew M.

This is a fantastic place to spend your holidays.

The buildings, surroundings, heated pool, facilities provided etc., are all top class. Each of the bedrooms is individually, subtly themed, 2 have ensuites, all are amply sized. There’s a fantastic upstairs seating are to relax and read. The farm house living area is beautifully laid out and decorated with many personal touches. There is an extensive library of holiday reads, DVDs and board games. The kitchen is a delight to cook in and the dishwasher makes such a difference - so much so, we ate in most nights... bringing me to the outside BBQ eating area... a wonderful area with a living ivy curtain giving it nice secluded feel. The other outside area - by the heated pool - is a great spot for lunch and drinks are always cold, thanks to the fridge. The pool itself is glorious, perfectly warm!

The location couldn’t be better - loads to see and do in all directions within 30 minutes. Go further afield and you’ve Carcassonne (~1 hr), Perpignan (~1.5hrs) {if you like good wines go visit “Domaine Treloare”, you won’t be disappointed}, and of course Barcelona is only 3-4 hours away!!

Finally, Kim and Duncan made sure our stay was perfect. Very available to answer any questions, or provide assistance. A delight to get to know them.

We will be back.

Submitted 9 Sep 2018

Owner's Response:

Thank you for your wonderful review, we are so glad you enjoyed the house and the area and look forward to welcoming you back.

Gorgeous property in great location

5/5

Stayed Jul 2018

Joe Barker

We were lucky enough to stay at this property for a week. The house is immaculate, the kitchen really well equipped and the pool and gardens are lovely. We barely ventured out but those who did enjoyed the local markets and the excellent cycling all around. Kim, Duncan and Ella the dog are great hosts, very friendly, helpful and good to talk to. Cannot recommend this property highly enough.

Submitted 7 Aug 2018

Owner's Response:

Thank you so much, we are so glad you all enjoyed our property and the local area and it would be an absolute pleasure to see you all again.

Lovely house and pool in a tranquil setting

5/5

Stayed Jul 2018

Louise E.

We had two wonderful weeks staying in this country property with a stunning pool. The property feels very homely and is extremely well equipped. The poolside is perfect for relaxing - we loved the hammock, outdoor eating area and plenty of shady spots to escape the heat. Our children adored playing with Ella the friendly sheepdog who was a highlight of the holiday. The location is excellent for exploring and we particularly enjoyed visiting Mirepoix and the beautiful rolling forested hills of the region. Thank you for being lovely hosts.

Submitted 29 Jul 2018

Owner's Response:

Thank you very much for your kind words, we are so glad you enjoyed this beautiful part of the world and we hope to welcome you back in the future.

Delightful -- perfect house, pool, owners

an absolute gem of a find

5/5

Stayed Jul 2017

Helen M.

We are 3 couples who always journey to France each year. This year's choice was this lovely house and pool in beautiful peaceful surroundings. The pool and summer kitchen was ideal in the hot weather and we ate outside until late at night under the stars. From here within easy reach we visited Carcasonne and the Monday market at Mirepoix and on Wednesday evening visited the local food festival. Kim and Duncan were really helpful and we all fell in love with Ella the Collie.

Thank you for a wonderful week.

Submitted 10 Jul 2017

Owner's Response:

Thank you, it was great to meet you all and Ella loves her new ball.

1 - 6 of 13

Location

Rivel, France

The property is perfectly located on the Aude/Ariege border rich in history and on the Cathar trail. The Aude is one the largest wine producing regions in the world so visiting one of our wineries is a must. There are lots of lovely walks from the house, the Pyreneen Mountains are not far for those who are more adventurous and there is white water rafting and canoeing in nearby Quillan. Chalabre, just 10 minutes drive is our nearest town and has shops, butchers, bakers, pharmacy and restaurants and a large chateau, Puivert which is closer has a several restaurants including a pizzeria, a lakeside buvette and an amazing micro brewery open to the public. The lake at Puivert is surrounded by mountains with a clear view of the Cathar castle and is perfect for swimming in its clear waters and lazing on the sandy beach.

Availability

Additional pricing information

Refundable damage deposit

£300

Payment can also be accept in Euros at the relevant rate of exchange. A deposit of £300 is payable at the time of booking and the balance is due 8 weeks before departure. The deposit then becomes the security deposit and will be refunded promptly after your stay after satisfactory inspection.